Patent Application
20250215764
The present disclosure relates generally to hydrocarbon well operations, and more particularly although not necessarily exclusively, to an expandable element assembly for use in isolating well intervals.
During a completion phase of a hydrocarbon well, an open hole well zone (or interval) of interest may be isolated from the remainder of a hydrocarbon well for various reasons. Isolating an open hole well interval of interest is commonly accomplished using a cooperating pair of spaced apart expandable elements, such as the inflatable packers of a straddle packer device. A straddle packer device can be positioned on a tool string that can be used to run the straddle packer to a desired downhole location. After the straddle packer is at the desired downhole location, the expandable elements may be expanded to isolate the well interval located between the expandable elements from fluid and pressure in other portions of the well.
Certain aspects and examples of the present disclosure relate to an expandable element isolation assembly, and to a rigid support element that can increase a maximum differential pressure rating of the expandable element isolation assembly. By utilizing rigid support elements to limit or prevent undesirable deformation of the expandable isolation elements of an expandable element isolation assembly, the differential pressure between a well interval isolated by the expandable element isolation assembly and the hydrostatic pressure of the surrounding well fluid may be considerably greater than is normally possible through the use of known expandable elements.
An example of an expandable element isolation assembly can include an expandable element and an associated rigid support element. The rigid support element is located external to the expandable element and may be positionable between at least a part of the expandable element and an inner wall of a formation at an open-hole portion of a wellbore in response to expansion of the expandable element. When the rigid support element is so positioned upon expansion of the expandable element, the rigid support element can act as an external reinforcement of the expandable element. The reinforcement can substantially increase the differential pressure range with which the expandable element can be used.
Rigid support elements of various designs may be provided according to examples of an expandable element isolation assembly. For example, an annular array of overlapping rigid support petals may encircle one end of an expandable element according to one example of an expandable element isolation assembly. The rigid support petals may be positioned between at least part of the expandable element and an inner wall of a formation at an open-hole portion of a wellbore in response to expansion of the expandable element. Upon contraction of the expandable element, the rigid support petals may return to a retracted position where the rigid support petals move away from the inner wall of the wellbore and toward a central axis or centerline of the wellbore.
In at least one example of an expandable element isolation assembly, the rigid support petals or another rigid support element may be retracted by a spring acting on a linkage coupled to the rigid support petals/element. In another example, the rigid support petals or another rigid support element may be directly retracted by a linear actuator, or an elastomeric ring or band. The use of other retraction mechanisms is also possible.
An expandable element isolation assembly may be a part of a well interval isolation device that is positionable on a wireline tool string or a tubing string for deploying the well interval isolation device to a target depth/location within a wellbore. A pair of expandable element isolation assemblies may reside in a spaced apart relationship at opposite ends of a tool portion of the well interval isolation device. The distance between the expandable element isolation assemblies effectively defines the length of the well interval that can be isolated by the well interval isolation device. Different types of tools can be used. For example, a well interval isolation device may utilize a tool via which fluid in an isolated well interval can be extracted for analysis or the pressure within the isolated well interval can otherwise be reduced by evacuation. In another example, a well interval isolation device may utilize a tool via which pressurized fluid can be expelled into an area of the formation that is located within the isolated well interval, such as for purposes of creating microfractures in the formation.
In operation, a well interval isolation device can be delivered into a wellbore to a target depth, such as to a target depth that coincides with a well interval of interest. Upon reaching the target depth, the expandable elements of each expandable element isolation assembly can be expanded, such as through inflation by pressurized fluid. Expansion of the expandable elements can create a seal with the rock or other formation material forming the wellbore wall and can thereby isolate the well interval located between the expandable elements from the fluid in the remainder of the wellbore. The rigid support element respectively associated with each of the expandable elements can be automatically extended via expansion of the expandable elements, as described above. The reinforcement provided by the rigid support elements can help the expandable elements resist deformation and maintain a seal with the wall of the wellbore at higher pressure differentials than would otherwise be possible using expandable elements of known design.
Illustrative examples follow and are given to introduce the reader to the general subject matter discussed herein rather than to limit the scope of the disclosed concepts. The following sections describe various additional features and examples with reference to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like elements, and directional descriptions are used to describe the illustrative aspects, but, like the illustrative aspects, should not be used to limit the present disclosure.
One example of a well interval isolation device 200 being used to isolate an interval 150 of an open hole portion of a hydrocarbon well 100 is represented in the diagram of
In the example shown, the well interval isolation device 200 is part of a tool string attached to tubing 114, which may be coiled tubing. In another example, the well interval isolation device 200 may instead be part of a tool string that is conveyed by a wireline. While the rig 102 of the hydrocarbon well 100 is used to convey the well interval isolation device 200 according to the example of
During a wellbore drilling operation, drilling fluid (“mud”) can be pumped downhole to cool a drill bit. During the wellbore drilling operation, the wellbore 106 may also partially fill with various fluids that seep into the wellbore 106 from the formation 108. Samples of the fluids present in the wellbore 106 may be extracted for analysis, such as to determine the nature and desirability (e.g., quality) of the fluids present in various portions of the formation 108. Zonal isolation—i.e., isolation of a particular well interval—may be used in this regard to help ensure that a fluid sample of interest can be extracted without also extracting nearby fluids, or an excessive volume of nearby fluids.
When the well is a hydraulic fracturing well, the formation is typically fractured in various locations using high pressure fluid. To optimize fracture placement and for other reasons, well operators may utilize microfracturing techniques to measure stresses within different portions of the formation. Microfracturing techniques commonly utilize one or more jets of highly pressurized fluid to create small fractures in the formation 108. As is the case with fluid sampling/extraction, a microfracturing operation may be performed within an isolated well interval.
Each of the uphole expandable element isolation assembly 210 and the downhole expandable element isolation assembly 215 is shown to include an expandable element 230 and an associated rigid support element 235. The uphole expandable element isolation assembly 210 and the downhole expandable element isolation assembly 215 are arranged in a mirrored relationship on the tool string 205 in this example.
In
In an example where the expandable elements 230 are inflatable packers or similar inflatable elements, pressurized fluid may be supplied to the expandable elements 230 from a source of pressurized fluid. The source of pressurized fluid can be located at the well surface. The pressurized fluid may be transmitted to the expandable elements 230 using a pump or a similar apparatus. One or more pressurized fluid conduits may run along an open interior of the tool string 205 to connect one or more sources of pressurized fluid located at the well surface with each of the expandable elements 230. The one or more sources of pressurized fluid maybe connected to the expandable elements 230 in various configurations, such that the expandable elements 230 may be inflated individually or simultaneously. According to one example, the expandable elements 230 can be individually inflated, either through a unique connection between each expandable element 230 and the one or more sources of pressurized fluid, or by utilizing one or more valves to selectively distribute the pressurized fluid to the individual expandable elements 230. In another example, the expandable elements 230 may be connected to the one or more sources of pressurized fluid in a manner such that the expandable elements 230 can only be simultaneously inflated.
Referring again to
One example of the uphole expandable element isolation assembly 210 of
Expansion of the expandable elements 230 can create a seal with the rock or other formation material forming the wellbore wall and can thereby isolate the well interval located between the expandable elements from the fluid in the remainder of the wellbore, as is generally illustrated in
The expandable element 230 and the rigid support element 235 may be coupled to a body 240 of the expandable element isolation assembly 210. The body 240 of the expandable element isolation assembly 210 may be coupled to a downhole tool, (e.g., tool 220) by an adapter 245. The adapter 245 may also couple the expandable element isolation assembly 210 to the tool string 205 or to another conveyance via which the expandable element isolation assembly 210 can be moved along the length of a wellbore. The body 240 and the adapter 245 are preferably rigid components.
The rigid support element 235 may be of various designs in different examples. In the particular example shown in
According to this example of the expandable element isolation assembly 210, return of the rigid support petals 250 to the retracted position depicted in
The translating element 270, and the adapter 245 or the retainer element 275, may act to cooperatively retain a compression spring 280 or another resilient element that exerts a biasing force against the translating element 270. The force exerted on the rigid support petals 250 during inflation of the expandable element 230 can be transferred to the linkage members 265 to cause a linear displacement of the translating element 270 toward the adapter 245 by overcoming the biasing force of the compression spring 280. Upon deflation of the expandable element 230, the biasing force of the compression spring 280 can produce an opposite direction linear displacement of the translating element 270 toward the expandable element 230. This opposite direction linear displacement of the translating element 270 can also cause the linkage members 265 to rotate the rigid support petals 250 inward toward the deflated expandable element 230 and the tool 220. The inwardly-directed rotation of the rigid support petals 250 allows the expandable element isolation assembly 210 to maintain a minimal profile, which facilitates movement of the well interval isolation device 200 through the wellbore 106.
It should be understood that the arrangement and orientation of the expandable element isolation assembly 210 in the particular example illustrated by
To counter this encouraged deformation of the expandable elements 230, the uphole expandable element isolation assembly 210 can be arranged on the uphole side of the uphole expandable element 230. While not shown in
In an alternative example, the tool 220 of the well interval isolation device 200 may be used to perform a pressure-decreasing (e.g., drawdown) operation within an isolated well interval located between the expandable elements 230. In such a case, decreased pressure within the isolated interval can produce a force that is directed toward the tool 220 from both an uphole and a downhole direction. These forces will encourage deformation of the uphole expandable element 230 in a downhole direction and deformation of the downhole expandable element 230 in an uphole direction—i.e., both expandable elements will be biased toward the tool 220.
To counter this encouraged deformation of the expandable elements 230, the uphole expandable element isolation assembly 210 can be arranged on the downhole side of the uphole expandable element 230. The downhole expandable element isolation assembly 215 can likewise be arranged on the uphole side of the downhole expandable element 230. Additionally, the uphole expandable element isolation assembly 210 can be oriented with the rigid support petals 250 thereof adjacent to a downhole end of the uphole expandable element 230. The downhole expandable element isolation assembly 215 can be oriented as a mirror image to the uphole expandable element isolation assembly 210, such that the rigid support petals 250 of the downhole expandable element isolation assembly 215 are adjacent to an uphole end of the downhole expandable element 230. As such, expansion of the expandable elements 230 will position the rigid support petals 250 of the associated expandable element isolation assemblies 210, 215 between at least part of the expandable elements 230 and an inner wall of a formation, and resulting contact of the rigid support petals 250 with the expandable elements 230 can minimize or prevent deformation of the expandable elements 230 toward the tool 220 due to a decreased pressure in the isolated interval, or otherwise.
In operation, the well interval isolation device 200 can be placed at a target location (e.g., target depth) within the wellbore 106. In the example of
As may be observed in
According to some examples, an expandable element isolation assembly, such as a packer assembly, can have a design and construction that differs from the design and construction of the expandable element isolation assembly 210 shown in
In another example, at least the compression spring 280, and the translating element 270 of the expandable element isolation assembly 210 of
At block 302, each of the expandable elements of the expandable element isolation assemblies of the well interval isolation device can be expanded. Expansion of the expandable elements cause an outside surface of each expandable element to create a seal with an inner wall of the formation. In an example, the expandable elements can be inflated using pressurized fluid, such as pressurized fluid supplied by a pump from a fluid source located at the well surface. The pressure within the expandable elements may be monitored during the expandable element inflation process.
In block 304, the at least one rigid support element associated with each expandable element can be positioned between at least part of the expandable element and the inner wall of the formation in response to expansion of the expandable elements. For example, in the case of the expandable element isolation assembly 210 shown in
When it is desired to remove the well interval isolation device from the wellbore or to relocate the well interval isolation device within the wellbore, the expandable elements may be contracted, as indicated at block 306. According to the example process represented in
As represented at block 308, with the expandable elements contracted or in the process of contracting, the rigid support elements may be retracted by action of a retraction mechanism associated with each expandable element isolation assembly. For example, in the case of the expandable element isolation assembly 210 shown in
According to aspects of the present disclosure, an expandable element isolation assembly, a well interval isolation device, and a method of isolating an interval of an open-hole portion of a wellbore, are provided according to one or more of the following examples. As used below, any reference to a series of examples is to be understood as a reference to each of those examples disjunctively (e.g., “Examples 1-4” is to be understood as “Examples 1, 2, 3, or 4”).
Example 1 is an expandable element isolation assembly for use in a wellbore, the expandable element isolation assembly comprising: an expandable element; and at least one rigid support element located external to the expandable element and positionable between at least part of the expandable element and an inner wall of a formation at an open-hole portion of the wellbore in response to expansion of the expandable element.
Example 2 is the expandable element isolation assembly of example 1, wherein the expandable element is an inflatable packer.
Example 3 is the expandable element isolation assembly of example 1, wherein the at least one rigid support element is an assembly comprising an annular array of overlapping and pivotable rigid support petals that encircle one end of the expandable element.
Example 4 is the expandable element isolation assembly of example 3, wherein each rigid support petal is pivotably connected at a first end thereof to a body of a downhole tool to which the expandable element isolation assembly is coupled.
Example 5 is the expandable element isolation assembly of example 4, further comprising a retraction mechanism for returning the rigid support petals to a retracted position upon contraction of the expandable element.
Example 6 is the expandable element isolation assembly of example 5, wherein the retraction mechanism comprises: a plurality of linkage members pivotably connected at first ends thereof to second ends of corresponding ones of the rigid support petals, second ends of the plurality of linkage members pivotably connected to a translating element that is coupled to the body so as to be linearly displaceable relative thereto; and a spring exerting a biasing force against the translating element in a direction of the expandable element; wherein, upon contraction of the expandable element, the biasing force of the spring is directed to cause a linear displacement of the translating element toward the expandable element and a resulting inward rotation of the rigid support petals by the linkage members.
Example 7 is the expandable element isolation assembly of example 5, wherein the retraction mechanism comprises a motive device selected from the group consisting of a compression spring, a leaf spring, and a linear actuator, the motive device directly pivotably coupled between the body and second ends of the rigid support petals.
Example 8 is the expandable element isolation assembly of example 5, wherein the retraction mechanism encircles and is in contact with the rigid support petals and comprises a device selected from the group consisting of an elastomeric band, an elastomeric ring, and an annular spring.
Example 9 is a well interval isolation device comprising: an uphole expandable element isolation assembly and a downhole expandable element isolation assembly coupled to a downhole tool near opposite ends thereof, each expandable element isolation assembly comprising: an expandable element; and at least one rigid support element located external to the expandable element and positionable between at least part of the expandable element and an inner wall of a formation at an open-hole portion of a wellbore in response to expansion of the expandable element.
Example 10 is the well interval isolation device of example 9, wherein each expandable element is an inflatable packer.
Example 11 is the well interval isolation device of example 9, wherein the at least one rigid support element is an assembly comprising an annular array of overlapping and pivotable rigid support petals that encircle one end of each expandable element.
Example 12 is the well interval isolation device of example 11, further comprising a retraction mechanism for returning the rigid support petals to a retracted position upon deflation of the expandable elements.
Example 13 is the well interval isolation device of example 12, wherein the retraction mechanism comprises: a plurality of linkage members pivotably connected at first ends thereof to second ends of corresponding ones of the rigid support petals, second ends of the plurality of linkage members pivotably connected to a translating element that is coupled to a body so as to be linearly displaceable relative thereto; and a spring exerting a biasing force against the translating element in a direction of the expandable element; wherein, upon contraction of the expandable element, the biasing force of the spring is directed to cause a linear displacement of the translating element toward the expandable element and a resulting inward rotation of the rigid support petals by the linkage members.
Example 14 is the well interval isolation device of example 12, wherein the retraction mechanism comprises a motive device selected from the group consisting of a compression spring, a leaf spring, and a linear actuator, the motive device directly pivotably coupled between the body and second ends of the rigid support petals.
Example 15 is the well interval isolation device of example 12, wherein the retraction mechanism encircles and is in contact with the rigid support petals and comprises a device selected from the group consisting of an elastomeric band, an elastomeric ring, and an annular spring.
Example 16 is a method comprising: positioning a well interval isolation device at a target location within an open-hole portion of a wellbore, the well interval isolation device comprising: a downhole tool; and an uphole expandable element isolation assembly and a downhole expandable element isolation assembly coupled to the downhole tool near opposite ends thereof, each expandable element isolation assembly comprising: an expandable element; at least one rigid support element located external to the expandable element and positionable between at least part of the expandable element and an inner wall of a formation at an open-hole portion of the wellbore in response to expansion of the expandable element; and a retraction mechanism for retracting the at least one rigid support element upon contraction of the expandable element; and isolating an interval of the wellbore by expanding the expandable elements such that an outside surface of each expandable element is forced into contact with the inner wall of the formation and the at least one rigid support element associated with each expandable element is positioned between at least part of the expandable element and the inner wall of the formation by expansion of the expandable element.
Example 17 is the method of example 16, wherein the retraction mechanism comprises: a plurality of linkage members pivotably connected at first ends thereof to second ends of corresponding ones of an annular array of overlapping and pivotable rigid support petals, second ends of the plurality of linkage members pivotably connected to a translating element that is coupled to a body so as to be linearly displaceable relative thereto; and a spring exerting a biasing force against the translating element in a direction of the expandable element; wherein, upon contraction of the expandable element, the biasing force of the spring causes a linear displacement of the translating element toward the expandable element, which produces an inward rotation of the rigid support petals by the linkage members.
Example 18 is the method of example 17, wherein the retraction mechanism comprises a motive device selected from the group consisting of a compression spring, a leaf spring, and a linear actuator, the motive device directly pivotably coupled between the body and second ends of the rigid support petals.
Example 19 is the method of example 17, wherein the retraction mechanism encircles and is in contact with the rigid support petals and comprises a device selected from the group consisting of an elastomeric band, an elastomeric ring, and an annular spring.
Example 20 is the method of example 16, wherein the expandable elements are expanded by inflation with a pressurized fluid.
The foregoing description of certain examples, including illustrated examples, has been presented only for the purpose of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Numerous modifications, adaptations, and uses thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
